


always.

by mysticpaulson



Category: Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
Genre: F/F, and she loves this show and ship just as much as me, she’s the danny to my matt, this is dedicated to caitlin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-24
Updated: 2019-01-24
Packaged: 2019-10-15 15:11:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,539
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17531114
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mysticpaulson/pseuds/mysticpaulson
Summary: when harriet forgets her lines during a live broadcast of news sixty, jordan is there to comfort her.





	always.

 

 

> “according to globe magazine, president george w. bush is paranoid and **_deeply_** depressed.” harriet says proudly, paying no mind to the cue cards being held below the camera.
> 
> the audience laughs audibly, inflating the blonde actress’ ego. “that’s right, folks.” simon begins. “george believes that his wife, laura, has **_destroyed_** him in her tell-all book.”
> 
> the studio filled with viewers rumbles giddily again, pleasing danny as he sits behind the camera and watches. news sixty was never a stressful segment. harriet and simon had great chemistry. it was the easiest sketch of the night. after doing it for more than a year, the duo had managed to get it down solidly.
> 
> “well, i feel for the guy, simon. i really do.” harriet explains, clasping her hands together on the desk in front of her.
> 
> “you would, harriet.” simon jokes, causing the audience to roar with laughter.... again.
> 
> making jokes about religion and conservatism at harriet’s expense wasn’t uncommon for the show. matt always managed to slip a few in there every week. it was like his own personal middle finger to her, due to their romance completely and utterly petering out earlier that year. the breakup had been mutual, according to him at least. the actress had been attempting to claw her way out of the relationship for months. when she’d finally brought her discomfort to matthew’s attention, he’d knocked over a bookshelf and walked out. that was good enough for harriet.
> 
> “aren’t you charming, simon?” harriet replied sarcastically, rolling her eyes in the actor’s direction.
> 
> “that’s what the ladies tell me, harry.” the man smirked, resting his chin against his palm.
> 
> harriet’s lips opened to speak, ready to confidently deliver her next line. as she began to segway the conversation over to an update on lindsay lohan’s recent brushes with the law, she found herself unable to remember what bit of dialogue came next. each sketch on the show was designed to be fast paced, this _**was**_ a live production after all. her delay in speech was noticed immediately. she saw danny’s eyes darting nervously around the room. she felt simon kick her in the shin.
> 
> harriet’s mind raced with a million thoughts. this had never happened to her before, and she wasn’t exactly sure how to move forward. the studio was eerily silent. _fuck, what have you done?_ she thought to herself, still unable to formulate any sort of proper sentence. danny waved his hands urgently in simon’s direction, signaling the actor to wrap up the segment.
> 
> “w-w-well, i’m simon stiles, that’s harriet hayes, and this has been news sixty.” his voice is hurried and his cheeks are tinted pink. _he’s embarrassed. you embarrassed him. nice going, idiot._
> 
> both actors quickly scurry off of the stage. harriet doesn’t even bother to stay and talk with simon, his shouts of her name fading into the background as she approaches her dressing room. the flimsy door is pushed open quickly and shut with a bang, leaving the actress alone to think over what had just happened.
> 
> she had eight minutes before her next sketch, if she even went out for it. they could get jeannie to do the rest of her roles for the night. she only had three more. they weren’t huge. most of her bigger stuff had already happened within the first hour of the show.
> 
> a sob that harriet didn’t know she was holding in fell from her lips. hot tears had already begun to flow steadily down her face. _what is wrong with you? you blanked during news fucking sixty. that’s the easiest sketch of the night. god, you’re such an idiot._ her mind raced with self deprecating thoughts as she sat down at her mirror.
> 
> the cool texture of a makeup wipe is relaxing on her skin. tears still pool in her eyes, but at least now her mascara won’t run while she’s crying. _you had cue cards, genius. there was no reason for that to happen. you couldn’t of just sat through it like an adult, could you?_ her soft fingers scratch at her lips, staining them red with product.
> 
> a knock at the door yanks her from her thoughts. she was expecting someone to show up sooner or later. _probably matt or danny, coming to berate me for making us all look foolish on live television._ harriet sighed, rising from her chair to greet her visitor.
> 
> when the rusty hinges of dressing room **_j_** are pulled open, she isn’t expecting to see jordan mcdeere on the other side. she also isn’t expecting to be pulled into a bone crushing hug by the brunette before even being able to greet her.
> 
> “oh, harriet.” jordan sighs, running her fingers through the actress’ blonde locks.
> 
> she relaxes into jordan’s embrace, burying her face into her shoulder. fresh tears are staining the national broadcasting system president’s top, but she only pulls harriet closer. “you’re okay, harry. i got you.” she whispers against her hair.
> 
> harriet sniffles against the material of jordan’s shirt. she retracts from their embrace momentarily, watery eyes looking at the other woman longingly. almost as if she was begging her to fix this. because, in a way, she was. “let’s go sit down, harriet.” jordan says, her voice sweeter than honey.
> 
> the two walk arm in arm to the couch in the dressing room. jordan sits first, beckoning harriet to settle down next to her. the blonde collapses on the piece of furniture, letting her head rest on her companion’s lap.
> 
> jordan’s fingers run through harriet’s hair softly, grasping at any straw to calm her. “i’m such an idiot.” the actress says quietly. her voice nearly startles the brunette. she’d been radio silent since she’d gotten to the dressing room.
> 
> “you are not an idiot, harriet. don’t ever say that.” jordan says, running her fingers along harry’s scalp.
> 
> “only an idiot would fuck up on news sixty. it’s the easiest sketch of the whole show.” she sighs, biting her lip to hold back more tears threatening to spill.
> 
> “that’s why it’s also the easiest one to mess up.” jordan begins. “you’re the most confident with it. you’d never even considered the possibility of forgetting your lines. stuff like this almost always happens when people get too ahead of themselves.”
> 
> harriet sighs, hiding her face in the material of jordan’s pants. she could understand where her friend was coming from, her opinion on the incident made sense. she’d never be able to look at it that way, though. to harriet, it would always be the time she froze on live television, during the show’s simplest bit.
> 
> “don’t hide from me.” jordan says. her soft hands gently grasp harriet’s chin, turning her head back to its previous position.
> 
> “i feel so weak. i never mess up. i’m harriet hayes. i’m in the big three. this isn’t supposed to happen.” her teeth sink into her lip again, this time out of frustration.
> 
> “that’s a lot of pressure for one person, harry. i’m not surprised that you cracked under it. this isn’t an easy business to be in. especially not when someone is as successful as you are.” jordan gives her a warm smile and it makes something flutter in harriet’s stomach.
> 
> “tell that to danny and matt. they’re going to murder me.”
> 
> “they aren’t going to murder you, harriet. i won’t let them.” jordan reassures her. “i got you. always.”
> 
> matt had told harriet they’d be together always. she hadn’t believed him, she wasn’t an idiot. matthew albie was many things, but a man of commitment wasn’t one of them. when the word left jordan’s lips, though, she had confidence in it. _she will have me always._ harriet thought. _she will._
> 
> “what’s going on in there?” she inquired, carefully tapping the actress’ temple. “you look like you’re thinking pretty hard.”
> 
> “will you really have my back always?” the blonde blurted out. “b-b-because i’ve been told that before. a few times, actually. none of those people are here anymore.”
> 
> jordan didn’t give a verbal reply to harriet’s question. she leaned forward instead, cradling her head in her hands. harry knew she was going to kiss her, yet the first touch of her lips still caused her to gasp. they were soft and sweet, nothing like matt’s, or any of the other guys she’d been with.
> 
> harriet leaned into the touch, reaching up to cup jordan’s cheek. their lips moved softly together, each woman on an exploration of the other’s mouth. jordan kissed with love, she observed. there was emotion in their embrace. it felt warm and safe. she liked it. she wanted to bottle the moment and carry it with her forever.
> 
> the kiss was chaste and didn’t last for as long as either female would’ve liked. when jordan finally pulled away, they were both breathless. the previous events of the night had floated to the back of their minds. harry’s hand didn’t leave her friend’s cheek. her thumb stroked the soft skin of jordan’s face, a loving gaze enveloping her brown eyes.
> 
> “do you believe me now?” jordan whispered. harriet could feel her breath on her lips. “i got you. always.”
> 
> harriet nodded dumbly, her gaze never wavering from the brunette’s face. “always.” she replied.
> 
> _**always.** _

 

**Author's Note:**

> i’m not even sure if anybody reads fanfiction about this show anymore, but i love these two too much to not write any. expect more about them in the future! thank you for reading. <33
> 
> (note: i prefer to write my stories without proper capitalization. if that bothers you, i don’t care.)


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